Castlegar to pay RDCK tax bill
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Updated: September 09, 2009 11:53 AM
The City of Castlegar has decided it will pay the outstanding $375,000 tax bill owed the Regional District of Central Kootenay.
“I’m in support of paying. The RDCK wanted to use valuable employees as pawns in our disagreement, and that’s wrong,” said city councilor Russ Hearne at the city council meeting held Sept. 8.
Hearne was speaking of the city’s earlier refusal to not pay Zellstoff Celgar’s portion of a tax bill owed the RDCK.
The issue initially arose when Celgar didn’t pay its $3.6 million municipal tax bill. In turn, the City of Castlegar declined to pay the $375,000 owed the RDCK claiming it was not a collection agent for them.
This ultimately resulted in the RDCK threatening budgetary restraints and cuts at the Castlegar Arena Complex.
Castlegar Mayor Lawrence Chernoff said that by paying the bill, the city is taking the high road and doing the right and moral thing.
“I don’t agree with their tactics. As a city we need to look after our people. By paying these requisitions we stop this.”
Councilor Kirk Duff said that refusing to pay the bill did serve a purpose.
“I do believe what we did originally to withhold the money was the correct decision to not collect the money and not pass it on. We got the collective attention and that did have an effect,” said Duff.
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